Aircraft construction



Aug. 9, W38. H. A. BERLINER AIRCRAFT coNsTRucTioN Filed March 17, 1937 F1 [El INVENTOR TORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 9, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims. 'I'hi's invention relates to airplane construction n and more particularly-to a'formatlon of elongated is to provide an airplane constructionincluding by riveting, welding or the like at spaced hollow members in the form of sections which I 'are adapted" to be connected together.

' One of the principal objects of the invention a longitudinal hollow member formed in separate sections in which the sections are rigidly secured together throughout their entire circumference.

According to one arrangement, the airplane member is formed with an outer skin of sheet metal or the like which is reinforced throughout by a corrugated sheet secured to the skin. The different sections of the members may be attached together by means of flanged connecting parts secured to the respective skins and to the reinforcing sheets and adapted by rivets or the like.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the embodiments shown on the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a partial plan view of an airplane wing, embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are partial sections on the lines III-III and IV-IV of Fig. 5; v

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the line V-V of Fig.

Fig. 6 is a view similar modified construction; and Figs. 7 and 8 are sections corresponding to Figs. 3 and 4 respectively of another modified construction.

The wing illustrated in Fig. 1 is formed with tip sections ill and a central section l2 adapted to be secured to the fuselage of an airplane, not shown. The tip sections ill and central section it are separately built up and are adapted to be rigidly connected together when the airplane is assembled to form a complete wing.

As best seen in Fig. 2, the wing sections are formed with an outer skin H of sheet metal or the like which is shaped to provide an aerofoil section and which is reinforced throughoutits to be connected to Fig. 3 showing a entire circumference by a corrugated sheet of metal or the like l6 which is arranged with its corrugations extending longitudinally of the wing. It will be apparent that, if desired, the reinforcing sheet Hi can be terminated short of the trailing or leading edge and that these edges can be reinforced by other suitable means. The sheet l6 and skin [4 are adapted to be connected points i throughout the entire surface of the wing in dered portions 22 order toprovide an intimate bond therebetween. After the several wing sections'are built up in the manner described. they are provided at their meeting ends'with connecting means illustrated as flanged brackets l8 having right angle flanged 6.

portions 20 and shouldered portions 22 adapted to lie in engagement with the near surface of the skin I adjacent the end thereof. The shoulare secured to the skin completely around the circumference thereof by 10 means of a series of rivets indicated at 24. The brackets l8 are further formed with inwardly extending shouldered portions 26 which are corruated to follow the contour of .the sheet lG-as best seen in Fig. 5 and which are secured to the sheet l6 by means of a series of rivets 28. At those points where the sheet l6 lies in contact with the skin It, a single rivet is preferably extended through the skin, the sheet, and the shouldered portion 26 as indicated at 30 in Fig. 4.

After the connecting brackets l8 have been secured to the skins and reinforcing sheets at the ends of the several sections, the sections are assembled with the flanged portions 20 in contact and these portions are secured together by means of'a series of spaced bolts or the like 32. This effectively connects the skins and reinforcing sheets of the difierent sections throughout their entire circumference and provides a construction which is as strong and rigid as the remainder of the sections. .If desired the projecting flanges may be covered with strips of sheet metal or the like to leave a relatively smooth surface.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified construction adapted particularly for use with large wings in which it is possible for the connection between the several wing sections to be made from inside the wing. In this construction instead of being turned out as in Figs. 1 to 5 the flange portions Mhave been turned in and are connected by bolts 32 applied from inside of the assembled wing. i

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a further modified construction in which separate connecting members are provided for the skin and the corrugated reinforcing sheets. As shown in these figures L-section brackets 34 are riveted to the skin sections I4 and are adapted to be secured together by means of rivets 36. Similar brackets 38 shaped to conform to the corrugated sheet l6 are riveted to the ends of the sheet l6 by rivets 40 and may be secured together by means of rivets 42. Preferably at those points where the skin I and sheet l6 lie in contact, a single rivet 44 extends through 'both the skin and the sheet and the two brackets shapes could be provided or that other changes could be made and it is accordingly not intended that the scope of the invention shall be limited to the exact forms shown or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: v

1. In airplane'construction, an elongated sectional member comprising an outer skin, a corrugated sheet secured to said skin, and a flanged connecting member having a portion lying in contact with and secured to said skin and another portion shaped to conform with and secured to said corrugated sheet.

2." In airplane construction, an elongated sectional member comprising an outer skin, a corrugated sheet secured to said skin with the corrugations extending longitudinally and a flanged connecting member having a shouldered portion lying in contact with and secured to said skin and another portion shaped to conform with and secured to said corrugated sheet.

3-. In airplane construction, an elongated sectional member comprising an outer. skin, a corrugated sheet secured to the skin with the corrugations extending longitudinally of said member, said sheet terminating short of the end of the ski and a connecting member having a flanged portion beyond the end of the skin, a shouldered portion lying against and secured to the end of the skin and a second shouldered portion'corrugated to correspond to said sheet and secured to the end oi. the sheet.

4. In airplane construction, an elongated sectional member comprising a sheet metal skin shaped to form a closed section, a corrugated sheet secured to the inner side of said skin with its corrugations extending longitudinally of the member, and means for securing said member to a similar member including flanged connecting members secured to the skin and having portions corrugated to iit and secured to the sheets and extending substantially completely around said section.

5. In airplane construction, tional member comprising a shaped to form a closed section, a corrugated sheet secured to the inner side of said'skin with its corrugations extending longitudinally of the member, and means for securing the sections of an elongated secsheet metal skin said member together comprising connecting members secured to the skin and having portions corrugated to flt and secured to the sheet at the ends of the sections and extending substantially completely around the sections, and. means for securing'the connecting members together.

HENRY A; BERIINER. 

